The boy in the rain

You could see the joy. Visible. The happiness. The eagerness to get to school on his face. Roughly 7. Maybe 8 years old. Riding his bicycle. Maybe it is a new one. Who knows? Carefully. Without worry. For him life is beautiful. It is Monday. A new week, new day, back at school. As he carefully went over the speed bumps by the toll gate. Out. Back on the express way. Staying clear of cars and buses. It seemed all is well in his world. Except he is riding to school. In the rain. With no safety gear. No rain coat. No guardian or parent to accompany him to school. In his school uniform, white socks and brown sandals. Back pack properly strapped. He journeyed on.

In the rain. My heart cut. Here is a young boy. Dangers all around. Yet he seemed oblivious to all. Trying to make his way to school. Here is a young boy. Whose parents might have saved to get him a bicycle and pay his fees. Here is a young boy who would become a man soon. A future leader (as we like to say). As I drove on in traffic watching this boy, keeping so far from cars, my heart cut. I couldn’t help but think of the many dangers he faces everyday getting to school. Cars, buses, okadas, soliders and policemen who seem not to know you turn your gun face down, Julius Berger and the Hitech trailers. Even worse, on days like this… the rain. The fact that in a bid to get an education, this young boy stood the risk of coming down with a cold. Maybe pneumonia.

I thought about a lot of things. Poverty in our land. The uncertainties. Crisis. I thought about my children. The kind of life I want them to live. Do I want them to live in Nigeria I wondered. I thought about the future. I am scared. Which way Nigeria I asked.

I thought about my childhood. The privileged life. Been dropped and picked up from school every day among others. Here was a boy (and many many many others) who might never experience that kind of life. The good life we call it. I felt sad.

More than 12 hours later, I still remember this little boy. Teary eyed, I watched on till he got out of sight, a boy who despite the challenges, he was all so eager to get to school; Looking on cheerfully as he rode. Not gonna forget him in a hurry. Tears still well up even as I type. Pity, sadness and joy. Sadness at what can befall this dude at anytime. I remember the Chibok girls. Sorrow at the kind of pain and challenges he has to live through at this age. Joy at the fact that he wants to get educated. You should see his eyes. Carefree and definitely happy to be on his way to school.

The boy in the pink checkered shirt and green shorts.

I heard this song some weeks back and just never paid attention to it. Till I heard it again at TT & BT’s wedding on Saturday. Somebody help me. It has been on replay since Saturday. Number 1 jam at the moment. Shout out to TT & BT (TT when you get to read this – I know you would). Lovely gown you wore. I am a sucker for simple yet elegant wedding gowns. *le sigh*. And thanks for giving me my new jam. God bless your union.